Thank you notes don’t get a lot of attention in job seeking manuals. Most of the ink is spent on a interviewing and the thank you note is treated as an afterthought, at most. But, important as it be, interviews aren’t the only determinant of success. If you want that job, you must follow up that interview and compose an effective thank-you note. Here are six tips to help you do that.

1. Make Thank You Notes Personal

A cookie-cutter thank you note doesn’t cut it. Your note should capture the qualities that define you and the interview you experienced. The note should rekindle the connection you had with your interviewer. For example, mention something that you discussed:

• “I hope your fishing trip was a big success”’
• “Thanks for expressing concern about my aunt. I am happy to report she is feeling much better”; or
• “I hope your man, Tiger Woods, wins the Open this weekend.”

2. Use Your Notes to Write Your Thank You Note

The more you can remember about the interview, the more effective your thank you note is likely to be. You don’t have to rely completely on memory. It's perfectly fine to take notes during an interview and especially smart to recap an interview in notes to your file. Use your notes to identify points to reinforce, objections you hope to overcome or new information that supports your candidacy.

3. Compose a First Draft of Your Thank You Note

Create a first draft listing the basic points you want to make in your thank you note. Write down these points as if you were actually talking to the person. Keep it conversational and don’t fuss over the perfect word. Avoid long, stilted sentences.

4. Walk Away from Your Thank You Note

When your first draft is finished, take a break. Do something else for at least an hour. This way, when you return to the note, you’ll have a fresh eye.

5. Hone and Refine the Second Draft

Use the second draft to polish the points you made in the first draft of the thank you note. What can you cut? How can you convey your point with fewer words? Is your message clear and concise? Does every word add value? Brevity without loss of meaning is the objective of a second draft.

6. Run the Thank You Note Past a Third Person

Once you’ve composed the final draft, give it a fresh read. Before sending it out, ask your spouse or somebody you trust to review the draft and offer an opinion (and to proofread it for errors), especially if you’re not 100% comfortable with what you’ve written.

Conclusion

A poorly written thank you note—or the failure to send a thank you note at all—can undermine the benefits of a positive interview experience and cost you a job offer. The good news is that writing a thank you note isn’t rocket science. Your note needn’t be long; and it needn’t dazzle. All it needs to do is remind your interviewers of the qualities that make you special and reassure them that the positive impression you made during the interview was no fluke.

Wishing you career success!

Lauryn Franzoni
ExecuNet
www.execunet.com

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